Tory Island Collection
This collection of original work was painted after my very first visit to Tory Island. Many times I had been invited and always made excuses not to go.
Firstly, arriving at the Island was spectacular as the sea was quite rough. The Island residents were welcoming including Patsy Dan, the King of Tory, who met every ferry as it arrived.
I walked all over the island and just let the beauty, colours and land formation sink in. Small white cottages nestled at the sea edge, with very few trees or hedging. The abandoned homes whose wooden doors were padlocked when people had left the island in search of work.
The culture and traditions are so important to the people, who continue with traditional music and dance and storytelling. The small fishing boats that still went out to sea, changeable weather permitting, to fish.
The sky changed colour many times a day, beautiful blue to purple to grey. At the end of the Island stands the Lighthouse tall and majestic gleaming in the sunlight. Such was the inspiration that of the Island of Tory, that I could hardly wait to get to back to my studio and begin painting.
During the the following six months I painted these twelve works, and adored every moment of the process. Towards the end of that same year the Tory Island Painters were exhibiting work in Belfast, and invited me to show this work in their exhibition. I felt nervous about what they would think about my representation of their island. Happily, both they and the the public loved the work.
TOREMORE FERRY: The Toremore Ferry is the link to the mainland of Ireland.It comes to Tory twice a day with people and cargo.
WHITEWASHED COTTAGES, TORY ISLAND: These group of cottages are clustered together as part of Eastown Village. The different roof heights and angles create a lovely aspect to the village.The view behind the village is of the mainland Donegal and the other islands in between.
MIDDLETOWN, TORY ISLAND: Middletown Tory ,this painting depicts the main village on Tory. The round tower dates back to the time of Colmcille. The houses are all different but whitewashed in the summer. The headland behind the village rises steeply.
TORY, EVENING LIGHT: The beautiful evening sky behind the headland of Tory and West Town village. The houses grouped together, the small sheds with red and brown roofs. The weather changes very quickly as does the sky.
NEW FENCE, TORY: New Fence Tory, shows the cottages nestled below the headland. The white wash on the cottage glistening in the sunlight. The new fence recently completed runs with the landscape up and over the hill.
TORY TOWARDS THE ISLANDS: Tory towards the islands shows a group of older cottages some becoming derelict. When families leave the island there is no one to take care of the old family homes.The fishing trawlers in the background are returning after a fishing trip.
BOAT ON TORY: Boat on Tory shows how the fishing boats are stored against the weather. Most have a shelter wall and are tied in place as winds blowing over the island in winter are very strong. The boats are painted and repaired every year to keep them watertight
GULLS ON THE ROCKS, TORY ISLAND: The sea gulls spend their time on the rocks around Tory Island. The weather often inclement makes life hard for the birds. The sea weed clings to the rocks waving with the tide.
TORY ISLAND ROCK CLIFFS: Tory Rocky Cliffs shows the rocks with the sea running in. The tides with huge waves constantly change the shape of the coastline. Sunlight on the rocks shows the block shapes and shadows